| [ Summary ] |
FGF23 has been identified as a humoral factor involved in the development of several types of hypophosphatemic condition including rickets / osteomalacia. FGF23 has been shown to work as a phosphotropic hormone, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of CKD-MBD. Recently, many epidemiological studies have indicated an association between high FGF23 levels and various adverse events such as higher mortality rates, cardiovascular diseases, progression of CKD, fractures and low bone mineral density. In addition, FGF23 has been shown to directly induce ventricular hypertrophy. However, the mechanisms concerning correlations between high FGF23 levels and these adverse conditions are unclear. Furthermore, it has recently been reported that the inhibition of FGF23 activity does not alter the expression of hypertrophic genes. Therefore, further studies are necessary to elucidate the functional significance of FGF23 in roles not related to phosphate metabolism. |